Updated April 5, 2021

The Downtown Little League approach to COVID-19 remains singular: we are focused on ensuring that our players, coaches, and other volunteers are safe so the entire DLL community can enjoy a healthy – and complete - baseball and softball season. To that end, we continue to optimize the DLL COVID-19 Policy.

In return, we ask each member of the DLL community to do their part to keep the 2021 season on track. To date, we’ve been fortunate to have so many families keep us in the loop with quarantine updates from their schools and other organizations and facilities. It makes a difference and is very much appreciated. 

We are also relying upon the continued vigilance of our nearly 300 volunteer coaches to maintain their leadership position in being proactive as it pertains to COVID. Knowing if fellow team coaches or players are traveling out of town, reminding parents that children shouldn’t attend DLL activities if they’re feeling ill, and ensuring that masks are always worn as players and coaches do their best to maintain appropriate physical distance. Our coaches continue to do an amazing job and we can’t thank them enough.

It’s safe to expect DLL to adjust policy further over the next few months as governing authorities continue to change rules, other local organizations shift their policies and both public and private schools remain in a near-constant state of flux in determining how to best serve our children during a pandemic.

We are currently updating our broad-based COVID-19 FAQ and, in the interim, below are answers to some of the community’s most frequently asked questions.

1. IF A PARTICIPANT TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, HOW SHOULD IT BE HANDLED?

Here’s how the process works with POSITIVE individuals as well as PRIMARY and SECONDARY contacts.

First, per New York State guidelines, the POSITIVE individual should be placed in isolation immediately and avoid all DLL activities. DLL should then be alerted of a positive test as soon as possible via email at DowntownLLNYC@gmail.com, copying our chief safety officer, Billy Reilly, at breilly18@gmail.com.

This action will enable us to quickly determine whether a POSITIVE participant’s teammates or coaches should be quarantined as well. 

To that end, if the POSITIVE individual has attended any DLL activities within 72 hours of the positive test OR the onset of symptoms, any players or coaches determined to have been at the same activities will also be required to enter into a 10-day quarantine from DLL activities.

SECONDARY contacts, such as siblings of a PRIMARY contact that were not at the same DLL activity, are treated differently per New York State guidelines and are not required to quarantine. This is in lockstep with how cases are handled by the New York City Department of Education.

2. WHAT IF A PARTICIPANT IS CONSIDERED A PRIMARY CONTACT BY THEIR SCHOOL OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION OR FACILITY?

If a student is not permitted to attend school or any other organization/facility because they are considered a primary contact by their school or another organization/facility, they are unable to participate in DLL activities.

Similarly, if a coach or other adult volunteer is considered a primary contact at work or another organization/facility, they are unable to participate in any DLL activities. 

3. ARE PARTICIPANTS REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE IF THEY TRAVEL DOMESTICALLY OUTSIDE OF THE SIX-STATE REGION (NY, NJ, CT, MA, PA, VT)?

No; HOWEVER, as a precaution and to help keep the DLL season on track for our 1,000+ registered players, we strongly encourage all participants to obtain a negative test upon returning to NYC after traveling outside of the region. 

Also, in alignment with New York State and the NYC Department of Education, we encourage participants to consider quarantining if possible. As a DLL community, we want to do all we can to ensure that the 2021 Spring season continues uninterrupted.  

Please note that, per NY State and the DOE, international travelers are required to quarantine. 

For your convenience, below are a few testing options: 

CityMD - on Chambers or Fulton Streets

ClarityMV – mobile testing units in Battery Park City

Maverick Health - 200 Church Street

SpeedySticks - at-home testing 

Telopoint – at-home testing 

Note: DLL is not affiliated with - and receives no remuneration from – any of the testing organizations listed.